To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of her Department's decisions were challenged by judicial review in each parliamentary session since 1997; and in how many cases (a) her Department's decision was upheld by the court, (b) the court found for the applicant, (c) her Department accepted the judgment and (d) her Department appealed successfully against the decision. (187286)

Because of the complexity and sensitivity of the issues the Home Office deals with, its decisions are frequently subject to challenge by judicial review; and this has been so for many years. Most of these challenges fall at the first hurdle and permission to bring proceedings is refused by the court; and many challenges are withdrawn by the applicants before there is a judicial determination. The exact figures for the total number of cases brought, and the outcomes in every case, are not held centrally. The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.